"Great! Oh. Another thing."
Nicole leaned forward on her arms and waited. Clearly she"d met someone in the know.
"c.o.c.ktail attire."
"Also not a problem." Though she"d packed up everything she owned, thanks to Tyler and his mother"s world that included formal and c.o.c.ktail dresses, and she"d kept a few favorites.
"That was easy," Macy said.
Nicole grinned. "I try."
"So are you interested in a primer on your new hometown?"
"I"m all ears."
Macy propped a hip on the counter, relaxed and happy to chat. "Wednesday night is Ladies" Night at Joe"s. You should join us-the us depends on who is free because there"s been way too many marriages and babies lately, so the ladies and the men are dwindling. But not for you because you"re new to all the men and they"ll all be new to you. So you"ll come to that too?"
Nicole nodded, pleased to have plans. "Absolutely."
"Great." Macy looked toward the front door and the family who"d entered. "I have to go seat people. If I don"t have time to talk more today, I"ll see you Wednesday? Seven p.m."
Nicole smiled as the other woman headed off to do her job.
She liked Macy Donovan, and it seemed like Macy had already accepted Nicole. She hoped everyone else in Serendipity felt the same way.
As on a typical Wednesday night, Sam met up with some guys from the station at Joe"s Bar. Josh Mercer had bought the current round and the jokes were flowing freely. Mike and Cara walked in, followed by his sister, Erin, and her husband, Cole.
"Looks like it"s family night," Sam said, calling them over. "How did you two get away?"
Erin had had a baby six months ago and rarely left her daughter"s side.
His sister greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. "Mom showed up and practically shoved us out the door. She said we needed a break and she needed time with Angel." The hazel eyes she shared with Sam lit up when she mentioned her baby daughter.
Cole slipped an arm around Erin"s waist, greeting Sam with a nod. "She"s already called home twice to remind your mother about the time of her next bottle and what to do if she cries."
"Like she didn"t raise three of us?" Sam teased his sister.
"Funny," Erin said to her brother. "And he"-she poked her husband with her elbow-"already called Mom to make sure she had our cell phones on speed dial."
Sam still couldn"t believe they"d gone from his sister getting pregnant after a one-night stand with Cole Sanders, undercover cop with no intention of remaining in town, to being a happily married couple and overly concerned parents.
"All my favorite people are here!" Sam turned at the sound of Macy"s voice.
Erin spun and gave her best friend a hug.
"How is that adorable G.o.ddaughter of mine?" Macy asked.
"Cute as ever." Erin beamed.
"Hon, want to go get a drink?" Cole asked her.
Erin nodded.
"Anyone else want anything?" Cole asked.
"I"m good," Macy said.
"Me too," Sam added.
Erin and Cole walked toward the bar, leaving Sam alone with Macy. She was his sister"s best friend, so he was used to her being around.
"Hi, Macy. How are you?"
"Hi yourself." Her smile, as usual, was infectious. "I"m good. Busy as usual. You?"
He shrugged. "Same old."
She shook her head, her long dark hair falling over one shoulder, and sighed. "You so need to get laid."
Sam rolled his eyes, not surprised by her outgoing ways. In addition to her blunt manner, she was beautiful, sort of exotic, her Italian heritage showing through. If she hadn"t been like family, he might have looked twice-until she started busting his b.a.l.l.s, that is. She wasn"t for him, but no doubt she"d give some guy a run for his money.
She glanced around, a frown furrowing her eyebrows. "Where"s Nicole?"
Sam whipped his head around to meet her gaze. "Who?" He had to have heard wrong. That or it could be another Nicole. It was a common enough name.
Macy scanned the crowds before refocusing on Sam. "You probably know her? Nicole Farnsworth, the stalker"s sister? She"s new in town and renting the room over Joe"s. I invited her to meet me here tonight." Macy glanced at her watch, and her concerned expression turned to a frown. "She"s late. You haven"t seen her, have you?"
Sam expelled a harsh breath. Nicole had moved here? Months of thinking about her and she was now as close as upstairs?
"Maybe she"s uncomfortable, not knowing anyone... and considering I mistook her for her crazy sister at first... I should go check on her." She shoved her gla.s.s at Sam. "Hold this for me?"
Sam shook his head. "I"ll go."
Macy narrowed her gaze and stepped into Sam"s direct path. "So you do know her."
He nodded, his heart racing at the thought of seeing her again. No woman had ever made him feel so many things in such a short time. Protective, aroused, attracted...
"And you"re interested," Macy concluded in the wake of his silence.
"No comment. I"m going upstairs. You can hold down the fort here." This time he handed her his beer bottle.
Macy watched him, her stare too perceptive for his liking.
"And do not give my sister or brother the wrong impression. I just want to say hi and welcome her to town. Make sure she feels comfortable enough to come down and join us."
"If you say so, Detective," she said, using his brand-new moniker.
He still wasn"t used to the t.i.tle or the promotion, but he"d worked hard for it, and nepotism-his brother being chief-had nothing to do with his new position.
He turned and headed for the back entrance of the bar and slipped out the exit. As soon as he hit the top of the stairs and stood outside the apartment door, he paused. Everyone he knew had lived here at one time or another, from Faith and Kelly Barron, to his brother, Mike, and then Erin"s husband, Cole. The place was a revolving door, a pit stop before people settled down for good.
Now Nicole.
He"d known her for a short time, when she"d been in Serendipity tracking her missing sister, who it turned out had been stalking Erin. Sam had arrested her lurking outside Erin"s condo, a.s.suming she was her psychotic twin. But there was nothing unstable about Nicole... and she"d made a profound impact on Sam. From her dark hair to her big beautiful blue eyes, he felt like he could see inside her soul.
On first meeting, she"d been scared, then defiant, but ultimately he came to admire how she"d handled herself while in that small interrogation room. But the real turning point between them had come when Cole barged in. She"d immediately turned to Sam, as if a.s.suming she could trust him to look after her. She hadn"t been wrong. And not just because he had a reputation for being the good cop in any scenario. With Nicole, the protective surge he"d experienced surpa.s.sed the normal doing of his job. It made no d.a.m.ned sense to him then, and it still didn"t now. h.e.l.l, her draw scared him as much as it pulled him toward her.
Once her sister had been arrested, Nicole had gone back to the city where she belonged before Sam could act on any stupid s.e.xual or deeper impulse he might have. He hadn"t had an emotional connection with any female since Jenna"s betrayal, and he wouldn"t allow himself to be hurt that way again. But none of that seemed to matter now that she was back in town.
Sam couldn"t imagine why Nicole had opted to move to Serendipity-but there was one way to find out. Raising his hand, he knocked on her door.
PERFECT TOGETHER by Carly Phillips out February 4, 2014.
Other Carly Phillips" t.i.tles.
Serendipity.
Serendipity.
Destiny Karma.
Serendipity"s Finest Series.
Perfect Fit.
Perfect Fling Perfect Together.
Serendipity Novellas.
Kismet.
Fated Hot Summer Nights (Perfect Stranger).
Love Unexpected Series.
Perfect Partners.
Solitary Man The Right Choice Midnight Angel.
For a complete list of all my series and books, visit:.
www.carlyphillips.com/category/books/.
About the Author.
N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips has written over 40 s.e.xy contemporary romance novels that today"s readers identify with and enjoy. After a successful 15 year career with various New York publishing houses, Carly made the leap to Indie author, with the goal of giving her readers more books at a faster pace at a better price. She also hopes to rediscover the pure joy of writing without expectations. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She"s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she"s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers.
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